Knock-down display rack



April 18, 1961 R. v. DOWNEY KNOCK-DOWN DISPLAY RACK 3- Sheets-$heet 1 Filed Aug. 1, 1960 IE 'lGzl- INVENTOR. R K: HARDV. DOWNEY, DECEASED BY As PASIA DowMEY, ExEcu'rFgljx AT TORNEYS April 18, 1961 R. v. DOWNEY 2,980,262

KNOCK-DOWN DISPLAY RACK Filed Aug. 1, 1960 3 sheets' -sh'e't 2 a. l h B i l9 I g; IO u L l n l6 11 b Is IBQ. (8

l5 mcl INVENTOR.

RICHARDV- DowNEY,DEcEAsED BY ASPASIA DowNEv,ExEcu-|'Ri.x

ATTORNEYS April 18, 1961 R. v. DOWNEY KNOCK-DOWN DISPLAY RACK 3 Sheets-Sheet 8 Filed Aug. 1, 1960 INVENTOR. RICHARDV- DowNEY, DECEASED BY ASPA-SIA DOWNEY,EX.ECUTRIX ATTORNEYS United States Patent 2,980,262 KNOCK-DOWN DISPLAY RACK Filed Aug. 1, 1960, Ser. No. 46,843

Claims. (Cl. 211-148) The present invention relates to improvements in a knock-down display rack. It consists of the combinations, constructions and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter described and claimed.

As the cardinal object of the invention, it is proposed to provide a knock-down display rack, which may be readily assembled and utilized for displaying products and merchandise in stores and the like. It provides practical and inexpensive extra display shelvings, and makes it easier to get additional display of products out in front of the customers.

More specifically stated, it is proposed to provide a knock-down display rack in which a plurality of standards are adapted to support a series of shelves arranged one above the other, these standards being interconnected by shelf-supporting frames and base frames of novel constructions. Thus the various parts may be shipped to the store in knocked-down conditions and readily assembled in the store, all with facility and ease.

Other objects and advantages will appear as the specification continues. The novel features of the invention will be pointed out in the claims hereunto appended.

Drawings For a better understanding of the invention, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of the knock-down display rack;

Figure 2 is an end elevational view thereof;

Figures 3 and 4 are enlarged partial perspective views of the portions of Figure l which are indicated by the brackets HI and IV, respectively.

While only the preferred form of the invention has been shown, it should be understood that various changes, or modifications, may be made within the scope of the annexed claims without departing from the spirit thereof.

Detailed description Referring to the drawings in detail, it will be noted that four tubular standards A are provided, and these standards are adapted to support a series of shelves B arranged one above the other. The standards A may be foiledwrapped cardbroad tubes, or they may be fashioned from light-weight metal tubes, such as aluminum, but no limitation is intended in this respect.

As to the shelves B, they may be made from bright, white-lined corrugated board, but any suitable material may be used. Each shelf may be fashioned with marginal flanges 10, which may project upwardly or downwardly from the bottom wall 11 of the shelf. Of course, these flanges may be printed with product-identification advertisements. The shelf surfaces are preferably plastic coated to'resist grease, moisture, dirt and stains. The position and number of standards A and shelves B can be varied, and the shelves may be disposed horizontally or slanted slightly to suit the needs. These shelves may be square, rectangular, octagonal or hexagonal.

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In order to hold the lower ends of the standards A in place, four base frames C of wire rods are used; which may be zinc-coated, if desired. Each frame C has an inverted U-shaped bracket 12 at each end thereof (see Figures 1 and 3), and these brackets are adapted to be inserted into the bores 14 of the standards -A, these bores extending lengthwise of the standards.

it will be noted that the brackets 12 are formed on the lower reach 15 of each base frame C. Each bracket 12 is provided with a resilient free end 12a that is biased to yieldingly engage with the bore 14 of the standard A into which the bracket is inserted (see Figure 3). An upper reach 16 on each frame C has rings 17 at its ends, which are adapted to telescope around the lower ends of the standards A to thereby anchor the upper ends of the base frame C to the standards. Vertical rods 18 are arranged adjacent to the standards and interconnect the reaches 15 and 16. Diagonal struts 18a are provided between the lower and upper reaches 15 and 16, respectively, in order to add rigidity to the base frames. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the upper reaches 16 of the base frames C serve as supports for the lowermost shelf B. Each shelf B is fashioned with four holes 19 in its bottom Wall 11 through which the standards A removably extend.

It will be noted that a pair of shelf-supporting frames D are disposed .beneath each shelf B, with the exception of the lowermost shelf. By comparing Figures 1 and 2, it will be apparent that the pair of frames D for alternate shelves extend longitudinally of the assembled display rack, while the frames D for the intervening shelves B extend transversely of the rack.

.Each frame D has a horizontal reach 20' on which a shelf B may rest for support thereby. The opposite ends of each reach 20 has upright rods 21 secured thereto, which are disposed adjacent to the standards A. These rods are formed with rings 22 at their bottoms that are adapted to encircle the standards. Hooks 23 are provided on the upper ends of the rods 21, and may be removably inserted into holes 24 formed in the standards (see Figure 4).

As clearly illustrated in Figure 4, the rods 21 pass through the same holes 19 in the bottom walls 11 in which the standards A are mounted, and the walls of the holes 19 hold the hooks 23 in the. holes 24 of the stardards. If desired, a split ring 25 may be placed around each standard and the adjacent upright rods 21, as shown in the upper portions of Figures 1 and 2, and these split rings will give additional security in holding the hooks 23 in the holes 24. Of course, split rings 25 may be provided beneath each shelf B, if desired. Struts 26 are secured to the reaches "20 and the rods 21 to reinforce the frames D. The shelf-supporting frames D may be zinc-coated.

It will be appreciated, of course, that the standards A may be madeof any suitable height. Simple extensions from the standards at the top will provide spectacular display embellishment in flat or dimensional form, with or without motion and illumination (not shown).

The display rack will stand up indefinitely under normal use and carry considerable weight on each shelf, presenting merchandise or products out in front of the customers, making use of all available floor space in a store.

What is claimed is:

1. In a knock-down display rack: a pair of upright standards arranged in spaced relation; a shelf fashioned with holes through which the standards extend; and a shelf supporting frame disposed beneath the shelf and extending between the standards; the frame being provided with a horizontal reach rod on which the shelf rests for support thereby; the opposite ends of the reach rod having upright rods secured thereto, which are disposed adjacent to the standards and extending upwardly therealong; the upright rods being provided with hooks at their upper ends which are removably inserted into holes formed in the standards above the shelf; the upright rods passing through the same holes in the shelf in which the standards are mounted, and the walls of the holes in the shelf bearing against intermediate portions of the upright rods for holding the hooks in engagement with the holes in the standards.

2. The knock-down display rack, as defined in claim 1; and in which the shelf-supporting frame is formed with rings at the lower ends of the upright rods; these rings encircling the standards to anchor the lower ends of the upright rods to the standards.

3. The knock-down display racks, as defined in claim 2; and in which strut rods are: secured to the horizontal reach rod and to the lower ends of the upright rods to reinforce the shelf-supporting frame.

4. The knock-down display rack, as defined in claim 1; and in which a ring is disposed around each standard and the adjacent upright rod; these rings embracing the standards and upright rods to give additional security in holding the hooks in the holes of the standards.

5. In a knock-down display rack: a pair of upright tubular standards arranged in spaced relation, each having a bore extending lengthwise thereof; and a base frame adapted to rest on a fioor, or the like, and extending between the standards; the base frame being provided with a horizontal lower reach rod, each end of which is fashioned with an inverted U-shaped bracket; each bracket being removably inserted into the bore of one of the standards from the lower end thereof; the base frame being provided with a horizontal upper reach rod, each end of which is provided with a ring that is removably telescoped around one of the standards to thereby anchor the upper ends of the base frame to the standards.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,077,829 Erickson Apr. 20, 1937 2,732,955 Holmquist Jan. 31, 1956 2,915,196 Pira Dec. 1, 1959 2,917,188 Menin Dec..15, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 70,148 Netherlands Sept. 15, 1955 

